Foreclosures Leaving Pets Homeless

[Liberal_in_LA]

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/14381998/detail.html

Foreclosures Leaving Pets Homeless

POSTED: 5:56 pm PDT October 19, 2007

People moving from houses to apartments often can't take their dogs or cats with them, so many are ending up at local shelters.

"We just had a woman in our lobby yesterday with her four cats who were 15, two 16 and one 17 and cried the entire time. She was losing their home," said Abigail Rowland.

[Deja Q]

1. It's leaving people homeless too.

Not all end up in apartments, which in ways are superior to homes. (maintenance costs, et al... Nothing against houses, but those McMansion things are just pure wastes and EVERYONE has suffered because of them.)

[barb162]

2. Yeah, but a cage and probably a death sentence is in order for these animals.

Truly sad.

[Wcross]

14. A sure death sentence for this womans cats........

"We just had a woman in our lobby yesterday with her four cats who were 15, two 16 and one 17 and cried the entire time. She was losing their home," said Abigail Rowland.

I would have no problem adopting an older animal but a 16 year old cat is not going to make the cut.

[barb162]

34. I kept thinking, though, what about moving into a pet friendly place,

[Cleita]

17. And a slower death sentence for the woman who has lost her

home and may have no place to go.

[hlthe2b]

18. Exactly.... I have witnessed the rapid demise...

of elderly moved into retirement homes that did not allow them to bring their beloved pets. It is heart breaking--all the way around. I can only hope more apartments will try to accomodate pets.

[Jameson and Craic]

3. I could never leave my pets behind like that

I live in a rental, and while it can take a bit to find a place to rent with pets, it is definitely doable.

[Bluebear]

5. Welcome to DU, I would sleep in a tent before I gave up my buddy.

[Jameson and Craic]

7. Thanks Bluebear!

I've been lurking for a long time and I've always enjoyed your posts.

My pets are like kids to me. They're not going anywhere without me.

[hlthe2b]

19. Me too... Of course, living in Colorado, I'd have to get about

six more big dogs! It does get cold here. DOG is GOD, DOG is LIFE! (nothing against other pets, but I'm just dog-CRAZY!)

[Liberal_in_LA]

31. Me too! When looking at an apartment the manager said "now do you need to keep the cat?" LOL

YES! I need to keep the cat.

[Wcross]

8. I have an obligation to these guys.

If WE have to move WE will find a place for all of us. WE will find a place because to put my convenience or comfort above their lives is unthinkable to me. There is no such thing as "can't" in this situation to me. I've even made arrangements for their well being if I were to die tomorrow.( I also have two other dogs & two cats not pictured)

[Jameson and Craic]

9. Cute dogs!

I have a couple cats and when I was looking for a house, I turned down an awesome place, because I couldn't take them with me. Now we're all together in a house together.

In a year or two, I'm looking at getting a dog, but I want to wait until I'm in a more settled work situation, because I only want the best for my pets.

[Wcross]

12. There is a word for people like you. Responsible.

You take it seriously as opposed to others who get a dog "on a whim". We are in our "forever" home here, nothing but death can make me leave it. I have been enjoying these guys company since the day they were born. I carried them into our home in the palm of my hand.


Angel with Larry & Curly nursing.

[OnyxCollie]

26. What cuties! nt

[Sukie1941]

10. What about the kids?

I always wonder what happens to people's kids they can't keep......

I would live in a barn before I would dump my pets.

Photo is four of six kittens I fostered since July 2. I HATED finding them homes because no one can take better care of them than me!

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[Wcross]

13. If cute was sugar I would be dead right now!

They are gorgeous!

[leftchick]

16. I admire you so much

fosters are angels on earth. All of my five babies are from fosters. You Rock! :hug:

[Booster]

23. What beautiful cats you have. I have 3 cats and 1 dog and we're

in this together. I lost one dog this summer and thought about getting another for the dog that's left, but I'm 64 and my pets seem to live a very long time (one of my cats is 21 yrs old) so I'm not sure I'll live long enough to see a new dog to his/her end. My dog was 17. Just don't know.

[leftchick]

15. I agree

I have four cats and a dog and would not stop until I found a pet friendly place. They are out there.

[LisaL]

21. You can also sneak them in. I used to live in an apartment

that didn't allow pets. My neighbors had a dog who was barking up the whole night, and another neighbor had cats and her studio stunk like crazy.
Just cause lease says no pets doesn't mean you can't sneak them in.

[Yael]

4. How heartbreaking

:(

[bliss_eternal]

6. So sad.

I hope that the animals are adopted by good, loving homes. It seems strange so many pets are left behind, though. Many apt. bldgs. allow pets--or so I found when we were seeking a new bldg a few years ago (the height of the housing market insanity). :shrug: If I had a pet, I couldn't leave him/her behind--I'd keep looking until I found a place that accepted pets. Well, I shouldn't say that as I don't ultimately know another's situation. I guess some are panicking and taking what they can get under very stressful circumstances. Sad situation all around really.

It pays to watch the market and not buy into "hype" or others rationalizations. So many were convinced to buy into that market with comments like they were "throwing money away" by renting. Sometimes renting, saving and waiting for a more even level to buy into seems smarter.

It would seem those that bought into homes that are now being foreclosed on, sadly threw money away. Horrible that realtors capitalize on people this way (not all of course, but too many unscrupulous ones out there).

I've seen such markets before in southern California (the last time was during a republican administration). Saw lots of foreclosures then, too. :(

[AtomicKitten]

11. It's getting harder and harder to honor the "forever home" pledge -

people make when they adopt animals. Heartbreaking.

This is so reminiscent of the hopelessness Katrina invoked. :cry:

[malaise]

20. This is too sad

for the owners and their pets.

[Double T]

22. Man's and Woman's best friends should not be discarded.........

at pet shelters; there is an opportunity for the local independent pet adoption agencies to get involved in placing these abandoned animals in loving homes, regardless of age, special needs or any other excuse. Once again the wall street vile "F-er" corporate criminals are ruining lives and perpetrating deaths. Save a life and adopt a homeless pet; YOU and your new pet(s) will both be glad YOU did.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

24. This is heartbreaking. Three days ago a gorgeous kitty showed up at my doorstep at 5AM meowing.

I first fed him outside and thought perhaps he was a neighbor's cat and would find his way home. He stayed on our steps and we brought him in and now searching for his people. This pussycat is More affectionate than my own two "babies" and is definitely someone's pet. I have been on the phone with animal control in my town and another one 5 minutes from here and have learned a few things. First, the animal rescue groups are not taking in any more animals right now. The funds are drying up. Secondly, people are abandoning their pets. Cats around here that are abandoned are in danger from coyotes and hawks. So "Jack" is living in my basement, separated from my kits until I have him checked out at the ASPCA. I will try to foster him until his owners can be found, if not, I have already found a cat person who offered to take him, but I would love to keep him myself if circumstances will allow it.

[Robbien]

25. People who have lost their pets often go walking the nearby neighborhoods

If you put up a few Found Cat signs on telephone poles, you may get to the owner. Just a thought.

Here's hoping the owner didn't abandon him. Animal control in my city is also not taking in stray cats for eventual adoption purposes any more either. Due to budget cuts, the No Kill sign has been taken down.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

27. Thanks for the advice. I have already posted Found signs and my local pennysaver

is running a free ad for me for a week, starting Tuesday. The animal control officers have my number as well as the ASPCA which is down county from me. I am trying to cover all bases. So far I have spoken to 2 people who lost their cats but he isn' theirs. I felt how much they hurt as I lost a cat 5 years ago and never saw him again. One of them is the person that offered to take "Jack" if the owner doesn't claim him.

According to my local animal control, the ASPCA shelter is no kill in terms of animals that aren't severely ill or vicious. She told me they have a cat sactuary there with climbing apparatus, tunnels, etc. That is one good thing about living in one of the wealthiest counties in the country.

The neighboring town's animal control officer is very cool. She looks in the Pennysaver and lists of missing and found animals throughout the area, almost on a mission, to reunite owners with their pets. She said it's much easier to do that with dogs than with cats.

[Divernan]

28. Many pets were left homeless in Greensburg KS by tornados.

A lot of elderly people there lost their homes and had to go into assisted living/nursing homes and could not take their cats and dogs. One of my kids adopted one of the cats. And as I type, my new housecat (a feral cat I fed for a year before luring it into my home and thence to the vets for neutering/innoculations/etc., and then back to my home) has decided he's spent enough time curled up purring on my lap in front of the computer and it is time for the two of us to go to bed.

[Contrary1]

29. My best friend signed her Shelties

over to a rescue group yesterday. She had no idea these type of groups existed. One night she called sobbing that she would have to have all her pets euthanized. I calmed her down, and told her that she had options, but that she could not wait until the last minute. So far, her 3 dogs, and 1 of her cats have been taken. She is devastated, but knows that this is the best thing for her animals.

She is going from a 2,500 sq. ft. home sitting on 10 acres to a 2 bedroom apartment. (maybe) She has to be out by Nov. 18th, and unless her bankruptcy is discharged in time, no place will rent to her.

Every time a nearby home goes into foreclosure, I end up with another sad, hungry animal on my back porch. I guess I need to stock up on critter food.

[Greylyn58]

30. When my husband and I divorced I looked everywhere

for a place I could afford that would take me and my boy. I was preparded to live in the woods rather than give him up. Thankfully, I found a place within my price range that took large breed dogs(most don't as I found out during my search).

He was 4 years old at the time and my baby (still is). He will be 12 years old in Dec. I can't imagine being forced to give him up.

By the way he was 10 when I took this picture of him.

[Liberal_in_LA]

32. Even condos limit dog sizes...many HOA limit dogs to 150 pounds. Glad you found a place.

[LWolf]

33. I gave up the family dogs and cat when I divorced.

I moved to a little place in town. I could have taken the cat, but she had lived there all of her 10 years. I knew she wouldn't like the transition, or the indoor restrictions, having been a rural indoor/outdoor cat all of her life.

I could have taken the dogs, but confining them to a tiny city lot after lives as ranch dogs didn't seem fair.

By the end of the first year, they had all died. Not of physical neglect or abuse. They were old, but in great shape when I left, and should have lived for several more years. I think it was a different kind of neglect; the ex spent very little time at home, and I wasn't allowed to be there.

I don't ever want to pass my kids on to anyone else, ever again.